Vague
by LEYTON-NALEY
Summary: Peyton Sawyer has disobeyed her father too many times. Her father has decided to hire someone to keep an eye on her at every moment. What will happen when she discovers the man her father has hired is handsome, blue-eyed, and everything she's been looking for?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, Everybody! I started another story! I will try to finish the other ones I have written. I will be posting another chapter of Destiny soon, so be on the lookout for that. For those of you who are still waiting on a chapter of My Brother's Best Friend, I'm sorry. I've lost inspiration on that one. If you have any ideas, please feel free to send me a pm. I'll definitely consider them and may even be able to continue. Also, if you haven't read A Change in Time, I strongly suggest that you do. **

**Some things to know about this story are listed below:**

**-This story is meant to take place a long time ago, so the language might be strange at times**

**-Peyton is NOT a princess, her family is just extremely wealthy**

**-Peyton's best friend, Brooke, is equally as wealthy as her, and their families are close**

**That should be everything you need to know. Everything else should start to explain itself as the story goes on. Any other questions you can ask me in a pm. Anyway, read it and let me know what you think. Thank you!**

* * *

"Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer, this is the third time this week one of the assistants has caught you sneaking back into the house after dark," Larry Sawyer scolded.

"I know, Father," Peyton said looking down. "I'm terribly sorry. I promise it will not happen again."

"Peyton, you said that the last time. I have far too many things on my mind to be worrying about your whereabouts." He blew out a deep breath, her remaining silent. "That's why I've decided to do something about it. From now on, you will have someone with you wherever you go. I will not tolerate this behavior any longer."

"But, Father-"

"No buts, Peyton. I've given this plenty of thought, and you've had enough opportunities already." He silenced her with his eyes when she tried to speak again. "It's already been decided. The person I've hired will be here tomorrow morning. You can meet him then. I forbid any further discussion of this." He walked away, motioning for his servant to open the door. He turned back one more time. "Goodnight, Peyton. I shall see you in the morning."

Peyton watched her father leave the room and rolled her eyes. It was not her fault she left the house last night. Her best friend, Brooke Davis, was having a crisis and needed Peyton at her side. The other times, however, were all of her doing. She was not the partying type, but lately, she'd grown tired of lounging around the house all day. Sure it was more of a castle, and there were plenty of things to do, but Peyton didn't like having eyes on her wherever she was. Now, that was going to be the case everyday.

She stared around the room she was in. It was her father's library. He loved reading, and always handled his business in here. She stood up and told the servant, Henry, to let her leave the room. He obeyed and she headed straight for her room. Once there, she spread out onto her bed and heaved a sigh. The door opened again and the maid, Mia, walked in.

Mia and Peyton shared a thirteen year age difference, but Peyton and her were similar on many levels. Mia was not just a good person, but also one of Peyton's only friends here. The other servants chose her father over her, but Mia always agreed with Peyton. They would spend a lot of their time talking about Mia's husband who happened to be the cook there, Chase. Mia believed she was pregnant, and Peyton was the only one who knew.

"Hi, Mia," Peyton said, a smile immediately displaying on her face. "How are you this evening?"

"I'm very good, Peyton," she replied, sitting next to Peyton on the bed. "But I'm sure you are not. I've heard about what your father has decided as your consequence."

"Yes. Well, I should not let it bother me. His mind seems to have been made up." She looked at Mia. "Mia, you do not think of me as a troublemaker, do you?"

"Of course not! I just think your father is unsure of what to do, so he's doing the first thing that comes to mind. I'm sure that if you show him you are in no need of a babysitter everyday, he will allow you your freedom again." Mia noticed the look of consideration on Peyton's face. "Also, you know how stressed you father is about finding you someone to marry. He only wants the best and the news of your behavior might scare some of the men away."

"I don't want father to chose someone for me, Mia. I want to be able to decide for myself. I want to find what you found with Chase."

"I know, Peyton. I'm sorry things could not be different, I really do." Mia gave Peyton a sympathetic look.

"I think he's upset about Mother too," Peyton whispered. "She been dead for almost eight years. The anniversary of her death is next week. He tends to be a little unlike himself around this time."

"I'm sorry, Peyton. I know you think about her a lot as well. I can only wish that you understand she's in a better place."

"I do, Mia." Peyton let a tear escape from her tired eyes. She quickly wiped it away. "I think I should get some rest. Do you mind continuing this conversation another time?"

"No. Of course not," Mia said, leaving Peyton's side and walking towards the door.

"Just one more thing, Mia," Peyton said.

"Yes?"

"Have you met this person who shall be watching my every move from now on?"

"Yes, Peyton," she said, opening the door. "And he is very handsome."

* * *

Peyton awoke to find her dress for the day already sprawled out across her chair. The curtains had already been drawn back, and sunlight was pouring into the room. She stepped out of bed and began to dress herself. She buzzed Mia to come in and help her with final touches. Once she was all ready, she left the room.

"Peyton, your father is waiting for you in the library," Mia said. "And his 'guest' has arrived too."

"Thank you, Mia. That will be all," Peyton said with a smile.

She drew a deep breath and straightened herself. She lifted up the ends of her dress and began the descend down the stairs and to the library. She paused by the intimidating large, brown door, hearing her father's deep, throaty laugh. She turned the knob and walked in, spotting her father.

"Ahh, Peyton. Nice of you to join us. We were just having a talk about the books. Seems Lucas is a fan of them too," her father said, gesturing towards Lucas.

_Lucas._ Peyton said the name in her head. She loved the way it sounded. She turned toward the man that obtained the name, and her breath caught in her throat. He was the most handsome man she's ever laid eyes upon. He was tall- at least four inches taller than her- and medium built. He had sandy blonde hair and gorgeous blue eyes.

"Nice to meet you, Peyton," he said, extending his hand to her.

He surprised himself by speaking to her. When he heard about her, he just suspected another ordinary girl, but he was far from right. She was the most beautiful woman he's ever seen. She was average height- maybe a little taller- and she had an amazing figure. She had long blonde hair and glowing green eyes.

"The pleasure's all mine, Lucas," she said, shaking his firm hand.

Lucas grasped the small, frail hand, and thought he'd never seen something so delicate before. When he released it, he found himself wishing he was still holding it.

"I'm glad you two have met," Larry said, oblivious to the tension between his daughter and his new employee. " I'm going to talk Lucas through his job and explain the rules. Peyton, if you wish to stay, you may take a seat. If not, I'm sure you'll be glad to know I'm still allowing you to see your friend, Brooke. She may come over, if you'd like."

"Yes. Thank you very much, Father. You have no idea how much this means to me," Peyton said, giving her father a hug.

"You know I'm always trying my best to please you, My Dear." He stopped Peyton just as she was about to leave. "Peyton, aren't you going to say goodbye to Lucas?"

"Yes. Of course," Peyton said. "Goodbye, Lucas. I look forward to future meetings with you."

"As do I, Peyton," Lucas said, grabbing her hand and placing a soft kiss to her knuckles.

She left, not sure if she'd be able to stand another second in there, and invited Brooke over. On her way upstairs, she ran into Mia.

"I told you he was handsome," Mia said with a smile.

* * *

**Alright. What do you guys think? Let me know in a review. Depending on how much feedback I get, I will decide whether or not I should continue. So, if you do want me to continue, please leave me a review. If not enough people seem to enjoy it, I probably won't continue, so leave a review! Thank you :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the reviews. I'm posting another chapter because I got really great responses to this story. Hopefully you enjoy this one. I promise there will be more Leyton in the next one, I just had to explain a few things in this one. Please review and enjoy!**

* * *

Peyton sat on her bed, awaiting the arrival of Brooke. She had called her about twenty minutes ago, and she had still not arrived. Finally, Mia opened the door, Brooke stepping through. She walked in and jumped onto Peyton's bed. They laughed and hugged, eventually settling down.

"So, what is it that you have to tell me?" Brooke asked.

"I'm not sure what you are talking about," Peyton said with a confused look on her face.

"Mia told me you had something to tell me," Brooke said. "I believe she mentioned the name Lucas..."

"Oh, that," Peyton said, her face flushed.

"So you do have something to tell. Please share."

"It's not really something to tell. Do you know how my father hired someone to watch me all day since I got caught sneaking back into the house?"

"Yes. I'm sorry about that."

"No. It's alright," Peyton assured. "As I was saying, my father hired someone to watch me. It so happens that I met him this morning and he is... he's not ugly."

"Peyton Sawyer! What do you mean you don't have anything to tell me? This is huge news. What does he look like?" Brooke shrieked with joy.

"He's tall with dazzling blue eyes and short blonde hair," Peyton described, already being placed in a trance.

"And?"

"And he's the most handsome man I've ever laid eyes upon," Peyton said in all seriousness.

"Wow, P. Sawyer," Brooke said, using one of the various nicknames she had for Peyton. "So, I guess you're claiming him?"

"Brooke! You know my father would never approve. He only wants the best for me, and Lucas does not qualify in his eyes. For us to ever be together- and that's if he even acquires a fondness for me- would be impossible." Peyton looked at Brooke. "I don't even know him yet. For all I know, he could be a huge jerk who is only concerned about my father's wishes. I spoke with him for only a few seconds, and then I was inviting you over."

"So, he is fair game?" Brooke asked.

Peyton rolled her eyes. "Yes, Brooke, but you do not even know him yet. You've barely heard of the words I've chosen to describe him."

"It doesn't matter, Peyton. For you to call a man handsome is enough for me. You know how picky you can be. He must really be an eye-opener." Brooke walked to Peyton's mirror and fixed her make-up. "Also, as you know, my father has left it up to me as to whom I should wed. He believes it is my decision to make, and that whoever makes me happy, would surely do the same for him. He doesn't want to chose for me and have me end up in a relationship like his and mother's."

"Yes. You are very lucky, Brooke. If only it were up to me." Peyton's eyes shot up as a knock erupted on the bedroom door. "Who is it?" she called.

"It's Lucas," the voice on the other side answered.

Brooke immediately jumped up and raced to the door. Peyton stood up, but Brooke already had the door opened all the way. "Hello, Lucas. I'm Brooke Davis." Her eyes traveled over him, and she looked at him as though he were a piece of meat.

He looked at Brooke, then at Peyton who was making her way over to them. "Hello, Brooke." He gave her a brief nod and focused back on Peyton. "Peyton, your father asked me to inform you that dinner is ready. He says there is a place for you and Brooke," he said looking at Brooke again, "already set."

"Thank you, Lucas." Peyton gave him a smile. "Please excuse me if I'm being rude, but why didn't Mia come up to tell us?"

"Your father thought it would be great practice for me to learn my way around the house," Lucas said. "Especially since my room will be the one next to yours." He pointed to the room on the right of Peyton.

"Really? You'll be staying there?" Peyton felt her heart begin to race.

"Yes. It makes it easier to keep an eye on you," Lucas said. He watched Brooke turn her head to look at Peyton, and Peyton shot her a look. "We should probably be heading down."

"Of course," Peyton agreed. "Let's go, Brooke."

Peyton made her way to the stairs, stopping when Lucas held out his hand. She very hesitantly took it, after convincing herself that he just wanted to escort her down the stairs, and nothing more. She didn't know how excited Lucas had been to hold her hand again. Any excuse was enough. He didn't even pay attention to her friend, Brooke, who kept winking at him.

Peyton's father was already seated at the head of the long table when they arrived in the dining room, and Brooke and Peyton hurried to their seats. Brooke took her seat first, sitting elegantly on the chair. Just as Peyton was about to pull out her chair, Lucas's hand reached out and did it for her. She shot him a smile in thanks and sat down. He took a seat on the other end of her father, directly across from her.

As servants began to serve them their food, Larry spoke. "So, Brooke, I'm sure you're wondering who this is," he said motioning toward Lucas.

"Actually, Peyton already explained everything to me."

"Well, hopefully this will teach her not to disobey my orders and leave the house after dark," Larry said.

"Mr. Sawyer, that is all my fault. Peyton was with me that night. I had just gotten into a disagreement with my mother, and Peyton rushed to my side," Brooke defended.

"As that may be, Miss Davis, Peyton still left the house two more times earlier that week. That's not even including the weeks before. I believed this was the way to go." Brooke remained quiet. "Let's discuss something different, shall we? How about we tell Lucas a little something about ourselves."

"Great. I'll go first," Brooke volunteered. "My name is Brooke Penelope Davis. I'm eighteen and _single_," she said, sending him a wink. "My family is extremely wealthy and I think you have some of the most amazing eyes I've ever seen."

Peyton nearly choked. She couldn't believe how forward she was being with Lucas, especially since Larry was a seat away from her. Lucas looked at Peyton.

"Thank you, Brooke, but I'd like to hear more about Peyton," Lucas said, meeting Peyton's eyes. "That is, if you'd like to share, Peyton."

"Um... yes. Well, my name is Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer. I'm seventeen, about to turn eighteen in three months. I love to draw and music is my passion," Peyton told him, maintaining eye contact.

Lucas smiled at her, hanging onto every word she said. "Interesting," he said. He was surprised about their common like for art and music. If she told him she loved literature, she was officially his dream girl. "Do you happen to like literature?"

"Does Peyton like literature?" Larry repeated, interrupting Peyton. He let out a laugh. "Peyton's read over half of the books in my library. Whenever we receive a chance, we share our thoughts on a book."

Lucas stared at Peyton, speechless. She looked down under his gaze, but he could not turn away.

"I like reading too, Lucas," Brooke said. "I read the biographies on all of the major fashion designers."

Lucas didn't even turn to face her. He remained watching Peyton, and only looked away when Mia walked in, requesting her. Peyton stood up and walked away with her. Mia brought Peyton into the hallway, making sure no one had followed.

"Mia, what is it? What is wrong?" Peyton asked, feeling concerned.

"Peyton, I just received a call from the doctor. He told me that the test results from my checkup a week ago, show that I'm pregnant."

Peyton widened her eyes. "Mia, this is amazing news! I am so excited for you. Does Chase know?"

"No. You are the only one I've told. I don't know how to tell Chase yet. I fear his reaction will not be good."

"Mia, Chase will be more than happy. You deserve a family together. Telling him is the right thing to do," Peyton told her.

"You're right. I'm so glad I spoke to you about this. You're such a great friend, Peyton. Thank you," Mia said, walking away and leaving Peyton in the hallway.

Peyton excused herself from dinner that night after hearing that Brooke was needed at home and left right away. She went straight to bed and fell asleep with Lucas on her mind.

* * *

The next morning, Peyton woke up feeling happy. She walked over to her closet and slipped on a simple sundress. She brushed her hair out and added a small amount of make up. She walked down the stairs, spotting Lucas at the table, reading the newspaper. He put it down when he noticed her walk in.

"Good morning, Peyton." He watched her as she took a seat next to him at the table. "What would you like to do today?"

She stared at him, her expression unreadable. Finally, she let a smile appear on her lips. "Today, I wish to relax in the grass and get to know each other. It only seems right, considering how much time we'll be spending together."

"I couldn't agree more." He stood up, placing the newspaper flat on the table, and opened the door for them. "After you."

She left the house, searching the yard for the perfect place. She walked on until she found a secluded area with plenty of shade. "Here is perfect." She sat down and he followed, trying to keep some distance.

"Alright. Where shall we begin?" Lucas pondered.

"Well, you can start by telling me your last name. I only know you by Lucas."

"Alright. My last name is Roe."

"Roe? Why does that sound so familiar?" Peyton thought. "Oh! Do you happen to be related to Karen Roe?"

"Yes. She's my mother. How do you know her?"

"My father buys his coffee beans from her. She's always so nice to me when she comes to deliver them. Sometimes she'll even bring me some sketch pads." Peyton smiled. "I cannot believe that is your mother. It's such a small world."

"Yes it is. She owns the best coffee shop in town. Maybe one day we could go," Lucas suggested, realizing the more time he spent with her, the more he found that he liked. He knows he should not be feeling this way. He had barely met her, and it is his job that's on the line after all, but he can't help it. There was something about her that was different. "What else would you like to know?"

"How old are you?"

"I'm twenty-one," he answered.

"How did you get this job?"

"I used to be a police officer, but my mother thought it to be too dangerous, so I resigned. I realized I still had skills with defending others, I was intelligent, and I was extremely quick. My mother actually found this job for me. I thought it was perfect, and I guess I was right."

"Well, I can't wait to see what the future holds," Peyton said, laying down on the cool grass.

"Me too," Lucas whispered, finding a spot next to her and watching the clouds drift aimlessly through the blue sky. It took everything in his power not to reach for her hand- the hand he loved so much- and hold it forever.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey, Guys! Thank you for all of the reviews. I love each and every one of them. This chapter is very eventful, and it will introduce a new character to the story. I hope you guys enjoy it. Please leave me a review. Thank you.**

* * *

It had been a week already since Lucas had arrived. Today was now a Friday, and Peyton was looking forward to seeing him. They had grown extremely close and had found that there are many things they share a common like for. Brooke had been around more than usual, but Peyton knew the reason why. She could not tell how Lucas felt for her best friend, and she knew she should be happy that Brooke has acquired an interest in someone, but she found herself becoming jealous whenever their paths crossed.

Now, Peyton had awoken to find a note that looked as though it had been slid underneath the door. She picked it up and saw that it was from Lucas. She took a moment to recognize his neat handwriting and smiled. On the note, it read:

_Peyton, _

_Your father and I are in the library. He has something very important to tell us, so please arrive as soon as you awake._

_ -Lucas_

Peyton quickly dressed, and headed downstairs. She found the door to the library slightly ajar, and pushed it the rest of the way open with her fingertips. This time, walking in, Lucas was the first thing she noticed. His eyes turned and met hers from where he sat at the table. She saw her father sitting across from him, a smile on his face.

"Peyton, please take a seat," he said. "As you may have heard, there is some news I wish to share with the both of you, which I'm sure will make you both very happy."

She wondered how he was acting so joyous when the death of her mother was tomorrow, but she did as she was told and sat down next to Lucas. He gave her a smile and she felt the need to talk to him. "Hello, Lucas. How are you today?"

"I'm great. Thank you, Peyton."

"Enough. Enough," Larry said. "You will have time to chat later, I promise. Right now, I need to tell you something."

"Alright, Father. What is it?"

"Mia suggested we host a charity event in honor of your mother's death. It will take place tomorrow in our ballroom. We will auction off antiques, and the money will go to the Breast Cancer Foundation. It was short notice, but everyone we invited already sent in their RSVP, so we'll have a great turn-out."

"That's great, Mr. Sawyer," Lucas said.

Peyton smiled at him. She loved that he was aware of her mother's death, but he never pressured her with questions. "Mother would have really loved that." Peyton thought she would cry, but she didn't want to do it in front of Lucas. "Why does it involve Lucas though?"

"Well, that's the part I was getting to. Mia also suggested that Lucas be your escort tomorrow since I would not like you to show up alone." Larry watched the two smile at each other, and was happy they were getting along. "Luckily though, that won't be necessary." The two stopped smiling. "Peyton, the person I was hoping would be the one to marry you, has agreed to be your escort for tonight. "

"But... But... What about Lucas?" Peyton asked, searching her mind for any excuse to have him be the one at her side.

"That's the other good news. Lucas, I know you wouldn't want to be at my daughter's side all night, when you can be having fun. That is why I was delighted to hear that when Miss Davis sent in her RSVP, she also requested that you be the one to escort her," Larry said like it was the greatest thing that could have ever occurred.

"Mr. Sawyer, I would much rather be at your daughter's side. Trust me," Lucas said, looking at Larry.

"Lucas, I appreciate your devotion to pleasing my daughter, but you do not have to lie. For this one night, you have the whole time off. Do not worry about what Peyton is doing or where she is at. Just have fun. As for you, Peyton, this will be your chance to show me you deserve your freedom back."

"Thank you, Father. But-"

"That will be all, Peyton," Larry interrupted. "I wish to have a word with Lucas now, so would you please leave the library?"

"Yes," Peyton said, hurriedly leaving the place.

Larry turned to face Lucas, a smile on his face. "Now, Lucas, I am going to give you some advice, man-to-man. You are one lucky fellow to be chosen by Brooke Davis. Davis women are very hard to catch the attention of, because trust me I've tried."

"You and Mrs. Davis, Sir?"

"Yes, well it was before I met Ellie, Peyton's mother. Anyway, you have caught her attention, and you better reap the benefits. I'm not giving you the night off so that Peyton can prove to me she's earned her freedom, I'm giving you the night off because I know that you'll need it. Brooke Davis is what the young men of Tree Hill call... easy. If she likes you- and like I said, it's very rare- you can expect something to happen. So, have fun, and don't worry about what time you come home the next day. I'll understand, but you have to promise you'll make the most of it. Do you understand?"

Lucas tried to hide the disgust on his face. He wondered what made Brooke Davis so attractive. Was it wrong of him to look at her and see nothing? If he were someone worthy in Larry's eyes, Peyton would be the first and only girl he would attempt to marry. _Too bad that would never happen. Maybe spending time with Brooke all night will give me a chance to take my mind off of Peyton. The chances of us ever being together are so slim, it would be wise to try and find someone else._ Lucas decided it would be good to escort Brooke, and nodded his head. "Yes, Mr. Sawyer. I'm looking forward to it."

* * *

Brooke was holding onto Lucas's arm as they walked into the room. They were already late, seeing as the party started an hour and a half ago, and the room was filled with people. Brooke smiled at all of the envious looks on the faces of the single women of Tree Hill as she walked passed them. Lucas paid no attention, instead scanning the room for Peyton. He walked over to Larry, who was standing by the drinks.

"Hello, Mr. Sawyer," Lucas said, shaking his hand.

"Hello, Lucas. Hello, Miss Davis. How are the two of you doing tonight?"

"Fine, thank you. Lucas is just the sweetest thing," Brooke replied.

"Yes, he is, isn't he?" Larry laughed. "Lucas, why don't you give Brooke a tour of the house. You've been here long enough to know your way around." He leaned in to whisper in Lucas's ear, "And the tour can end in the bedroom."

Brooke, who had heard perfectly clear what Larry was trying to keep hushed, smiled. To be honest, that was what she wanted to do from the moment she saw him tonight in his black tuxedo. The fact that her dress was shorter than normal would definitely speed things along. "Yes, Lucas. I would love a tour."

"Brooke, from what I've heard, you've been coming here since you could walk. I'm certain you do not need a tour," Lucas told her.

"Maybe I need to refresh my memory," Brooke whispered seductively into Lucas's ear.

"Well, then I'm sure one of the servants would love to show you around." Lucas turned to face Larry, ignoring the shocked noise that came out of Brooke's lips. "Mr. Sawyer, do you know where I can find Peyton?"

Larry looked at Lucas, a confused look on his face. Finally, he seemed to hear what Lucas had asked and shook his head. "She's not here yet. Is something wrong?"

"No. Nothing at all," Lucas said. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Mia. "Hello, Mia."

"Hello, Lucas," She said, giving him a smile. "I've been notified that Peyton is about to walk in."

"She is?" Larry questioned. "We better get everyone gathered. This will be a big moment for her. She'll be arriving with her future husband."

Lucas headed towards the entrance, anger filling up his body. He could not understand what had made him so mad about what Larry had just said. He could also not explain why he felt so repulsed of the thought of taking Brooke upstairs. He shook his head. He could not explain the constant need to be around Peyton, the constant attraction that lingered between them, or the constant wish to be someone worthy of her. His thoughts stopped at the sight of her.

She walked in, unaware of his stare. She looked magnificent with her cotton white dress and cream colored heels. Her hair was curled to perfection and she wore the most suiting necklace around her neck. She felt eyes boring into her, and turned to see they belonged to Lucas. He watched her, his lips slightly parted in awe. She forgot all about her date- whoever he was- and found herself closing the distance between her and Lucas. She had never seen him in a tuxedo before, but the sight of it was enough to drive her mad.

"Hello, Lucas," she said in a low voice.

"Peyton, you look astonishing," Lucas managed.

"Thank you." Peyton blushed. "You look fantastic yourself. That tuxedo does more than just suit you."

His eyes flashed. Her words took him by surprise, but he wasn't complaining. He wanted nothing more than to give her a tour of the house, even though the last stop would mean so much more to him than it would with anyone else.

"Peyton," Larry said, coming up behind them. "Why are you not at Nathan's side?"

"Who?" Peyton asked, completely forgetting about who her date was. Her father gave her a look of disbelief, and she snapped back into reality. "Oh, yes. I'm sorry, Father. I just wanted to say hello to Lucas."

"Well, you've said it. Now, get back to your date."

Lucas didn't hear anything after her father said Nathan. _But it couldn't possibly be... It is,_ Lucas thought once seeing Peyton stand next to a tall, dark-haired man. His heart ached in pain. He could no longer be in the room. His hands clenched, and he walked towards the exit. A hand reached out and stopped him.

"Where do you think you're going?" Brooke asked. "The fun has not even started yet."

"I'm sorry, Brooke, but I have to get out of here," Lucas said, tugging away from her grasp. He turned back to face her, remembering he had to tell her something. "Brooke, I know saying this might hurt you, but I'm not interested. I really tried to like you, I did. I'm just sorry."

Her words stopped him. "It's because of Peyton, isn't it?"

He turned to face her. "No-"

"Please, Lucas. I see the way you look at her. You don't want to be just another one of her father's employees to her. You want to be something more. I've tried to ignore it, because my father always told me to never stop trying to get what I want. Now, I see that what I want is to make my best friend happy," Brooke said.

"What do you mean?"

"Lucas, I'm her best friend. I'd be lying if I said I didn't see the way her eyes sparkle when you walk in the room, or the way she spends a little extra time looking in the mirror now. It's obvious she feels the same about you."

"Really?" Lucas felt a smile spread across his face. "What do you intend to do? Her father has his sights set on Nathan."

"Oh, yes. Nathan Scott. Larry's always had a soft spot for him. Earning the love of Nathan would be an amazing thing for Peyton in Larry's eyes. He doesn't care about how happy he makes her, he just wants what looks best for the public. Appearance is everything."

"So, Peyton doesn't feel anything for Nathan?"

"Tonight is the first night she's met him. She's heard of him, I'm sure, but they've never met personally."

"What's the plan?" Lucas asked.

"I'm not sure yet, but I'll think of something. Right now, I think it's best if you leave. You're obviously not ready to handle the sight of Peyton and Nathan, so just get some rest. Tomorrow, he will be gone, and I should most likely have a plan formed," Brooke promised. "I'll tell Peyton you left."

"Thank you, Brooke," Lucas said earnestly.

"Your welcome," Brooke said. She turned around in search of Peyton to deliver the news.

Lucas walked out of the room and headed upstairs. He was just about to enter his room, when he heard his name being called throughout the halls. He turned just in time to see Peyton running towards him.

"Peyton? What are you doing?"

"Brooke told me you left. I didn't think I could survive the party without you," Peyton told him.

"Really?" he asked.

"Really," she confirmed. "I need you."

He didn't even notice how close she had gotten, until she was within grabbing distance. His hand reached out to grab hers, pulling her against his chest. He could feel the rise and fall of her chest as she attempted to catch her breath from the run to him. He found it difficult to breath too, seeing as he's never been this close to her before. Their breaths mingled with each other, and Lucas felt Peyton release her hand from his and place it on his face. She licked her lips, sensing what was about to happen next.

"Peyton?" a voice called.

Peyton immediately pulled back, fearing it was her father. She turned to see Nathan coming up the hallway. He was too far away to have seen her and Lucas, but she wouldn't have minded so much if he did. "Yes, Nathan?"

"Your father sent me to come looking-" he stopped mid-sentence, noticing Lucas. "What are you doing here?"

"Nathan, this is the man my father asked to keep an eye on me," Peyton said, not caring about Nathan's knowledge of her behavior. "His name is Lucas."

"Hi, Lucas," Nathan said, walking over and shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you."

Lucas hesitated before touching his hand. He wondered why all of a sudden Nathan was acting as if they didn't know each other. "Nice to meet you to."

"Alright, Peyton. As I was saying, your father wants you at the party. We should start heading back," Nathan told her.

"Yes. Let's go," Peyton agreed, sending Lucas one last glance before walking off with Nathan.

Lucas walked into his bedroom, locking the door behind him. He got underneath the covers, placing a pillow over his head. He groaned loudly, replaying the almost kiss he had with Peyton. The last thing he saw before drifting off to sleep was Peyton, in her gorgeous white dress.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey everybody! Thank you for all of the reviews. This chapter is on the longer side, but you'll find out a lot. I think you'll notice how much Lucas and Peyton's relationship is growing. Anyway, enjoy the chapter. Please review it and let me know what you think.**

* * *

He slammed into her, his hands, one on her lower back and one on her upper back, pushing her body closer to his. The need to be as close as humanely possible to her was overwhelming. He left hot, wet kisses on her neck, inhaling the sweet scent of her perfume. He shivered at the feel of her hot breath on his ear when she moaned out is name in ecstasy. He pulled out and pushed back in, repeating the notion again and again. Soon, she was falling, crashing, and then floating on a cloud of pure bliss. He gave into the urge that was nagging at him since he first saw her, and surrendered himself to the pleasure. His eyes fluttered closed, and all he could do was repeat her name into the darkness. When he opened his eyes again, Peyton was no longer underneath his muscular body, and he was drenched in sweat... and something else.

_Not that dream again._ He'd been having the same dream every night since the charity event. Every morning, he'd wake up to find the bed empty, and Peyton unaware of the dreams. It was so hard to see her every morning and pretend like their almost kiss didn't happen. He wanted so badly to continue where they had left off, and finally kiss her perfect lips. It had been another week already, and he was finding it harder and harder to pretend. He whined on his way to the bathroom, where he'd be taking a very cold shower.

* * *

Peyton watched Lucas walk into the dining area. She sat at the table with a small cup of coffee next to her, and the newspaper in between her hands. She eyed him, noticing his change in attitude. Ever since the charity event, she was the one who awoke first. It was a little strange the first few days, but she had already grown used to it. He took a seat across from her and poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Good morning, Lucas," she said. He nodded his head to her in greeting, due to the fact that he was taking a drink of his coffee and could not respond. "Considering the time you woke up, I guess you've had a good dream."

"Yes. It was amazing," Lucas told her. "It made me wish I never woke up."

"When I was little and had a good dream, my mother would sit me on her lap and brush out my hair. She would demand I tell her everything, and to not leave out a single detail. She would listen to me, intent on hearing every word I said. When I would finish, she would smile at me and kiss my cheek. The same thing would happen every time I had a good dream."

"That's really special, Peyton," Lucas said with a smile. He loved when she told him those things about her. It was very rare that she told him something about her mom, so he knew he must really be trusted by her now.

"Yes, it is. I haven't told anyone else this, not even my father," she whispered. "Would you like to tell me about your dream?"

His eyes studied her for a moment. He decided it would not be wise to share his dream with her. "I cannot remember it," he lied.

"Well, that's too bad," she responded.

"Why don't you tell me your dream?" Lucas asked, picking up his cup of coffee.

"Well, it was about you."

His fingers struggled to hold onto the cup of coffee, and the cup toppled to the ground. It shattered into tiny pieces at his shoes. Peyton immediately dropped to her knees in front of him, and began to pick up the small shards. He felt himself harden, and stood up.

"Peyton," he said, his voice cracking. He began running his hands over his face. He needed to calm down. "Get up. Let Mia clean this."

She flipped her curly hair out of her eyes and looked up at him, not helping his situation at all. "Lucas, Mia is pregnant. I wouldn't want her to be picking glass up from the floor."

"Yes, I forgot." Lucas remembered how big of a deal Chase had made of it. Peyton's father even let him throw a small gathering to celebrate. "Well, you shouldn't be cleaning that up either. Let me do it."

He helped her to her feet, and took her place on the floor. There was a small broom in the corner, and she handed it to him. He swept all of the glass into a pile, and looked around for a dust pan. His eyes landed on the newspaper on the table.

"Peyton, can you hand me that newspaper?" Lucas asked.

"Sure." She placed the newspaper in his hands. She watched as he took the newspaper, freezing his movements to look at the picture on the front of it. There was a man, a woman, and a baby, looking like the perfect family. "Lucas, what is it?"

"Nothing," he said, snapping out of his trance. He finished picking up the glass and stood up again, wiping his hands on his pants. "I'm really sorry about that."

"No, don't even worry about it," Peyton told him. "The coffee wasn't even that great anyway."

"I've had better," he agreed.

"Well, that reminds me. I wanted to ask you if we could go to Karen's Cafe today. You said you'd take me, and I'd really love to go."

He couldn't say no to her. Not when she was looking at him with those pleading eyes. It wasn't like he could say no to her even if she wasn't. "Alright. Let's go."

* * *

The walk into town was nice. They made small talk with each other along the way, and at some points, Peyton would lean into him. Lucas pulled open the door to his mother's cafe, and searched for his mother. Peyton looked around the place. It was amazing. Everyone looked so happy there.

"Peyton!"

Peyton turned her head, trying to locate where her name was called from. A little girl emerged from behind the counter, crashing into Peyton's legs, and wrapping her short arms around them. Peyton let out a laugh and looked at the child.

"Hello. And who might you be?"

"Lily," the little girl answered.

"That's a very pretty name, Lily," Peyton told her. Lily's smile stretched across her face at Peyton's compliment. "And just how do you know my name?"

"I guessed."

"That's a pretty good guess," Peyton told her.

"I just thought you were Peyton, because you fit the description my brother told us about."

"Who's your brother?" Peyton asked.

"Lucas," Lily said, turning around to hug her brother.

"Lily! I missed you," Lucas said, picking the little girl up and holding her in his arms. "Have you been listening to mother?"

"Yes," Lily answered.

"Good girl," Lucas said, placing her back onto the ground. He watched Peyton approach them, a smile on her face.

"Lucas, Peyton is way prettier than I imagined," Lily said.

"Lily just told me that you described me to her," Peyton said, raising an eyebrow.

"So she has," Lucas said with a laugh. "When I write letters to my mother, she usually writes down any questions Lily has. I always answer them. One just so happened to be what do you look like."

"Oh," Peyton replied, nodding her head.

Suddenly, Karen walked out of the kitchen. "Mom," Lucas said, giving her a hug.

"Lucas, what a surprise!" Karen exclaimed happily. She noticed Peyton standing there. "Peyton, it's so nice to see you. What brings you here?"

"Ever since Lucas told me about this place, I've wanted to come see it."

"What do you think?" Karen asked

"I love it. It feels so comfortable in here."

"Thank you." Karen looked between the two. "So, how are you two getting along?"

"We're getting along quite well, actually. Your son is an amazing person."

"Yes he is. He gets that from his Uncle Keith," Karen explained.

Peyton expected her to say that he got it from his father. She wondered about his father, realizing Lucas never mentioned him. She shrugged it off for now, deciding to mention it to Lucas later. "Well, I would love to meet him. Where is he?"

The room got quiet, until Karen broke the silence. "He passed away a few years back."

"Oh. I'm so sorry," Peyton apologized.

"No. It's alright. You didn't know," Karen reassured.

No one brought it up again. Peyton thought about it though. She was surprised to see that her and Lucas shared yet another thing in common. They both lost someone very close to them. It only made her like him more. They spent the whole day there, talking and laughing. Peyton couldn't explain the feeling she got when she was around them, but she loved it. It was the same feeling she used to get when her mother was still alive. Now, she sat next to Lily, coloring a picture with her. Lucas was in the kitchen with his mother.

"So, what do you think?" Karen asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Peyton," Karen answered, like that explained everything. "You like her, don't you?"

"Mother, I don't-"

"Lucas, you do not have to lie to me."

He blew out a deep breath and knew she was right. "I can't get her out of my head. She consumes my mind." He shook his head. "Nothing could ever happen. I work for her father. I bet she doesn't even feel the same way," Lucas tried to argue.

"Lucas, she does. You haven't noticed the way she looks at you? I can tell when a woman likes a man, especially since I am a woman."

"As that may be, I still won't act upon it," Lucas said, wondering if he could actually go through with that statement. "Besides, her father has already chosen her future husband."

"He has? Who is it?"

"Nathan Scott," Lucas said with a bitter laugh.

"What?!" Karen shook her head in disbelief. "Haven't they taken enough from us?!"

"Mother, you're yelling. Please keep it down," Lucas whispered. "It's fine. There's nothing we can do about it."

"I'm sorry, Lucas."

"It's not your fault," Lucas said. They remained quiet.

"Did you hear about Jake and Lindsey?" Karen asked, changing the subject.

"Yes. I saw it today on the front page of the newspaper." Lucas felt the anger rise in him. "I guess that's what being the head of police in this town will get you."

"Lindsey came in the other day with the baby. His name is William," Karen told him. "She was looking for you."

Lucas's eyes flashed in surprise. "Really?"

"Yes. I told her where you were." Karen watched her son closely. "I also told her you were happy, and to leave you alone. She left without another word."

"Good. I want nothing to do with her. She decided how things would be, not me. I'm done with her."

* * *

Lucas and Peyton were on their way back, discussing a book. Lucas saw the same newspaper from this morning and his face angered. He picked it up, crumpled it, and threw it harshly into the trash can nearest to them. Peyton watched, bewilderment written across her face.

"Lucas," Peyton said after a second. "What's wrong. Who are those people?"

"It's a long story," Lucas responded.

"You can tell me. I want to hear it," Peyton said grabbing onto his arm.

He looked at her and nodded. "Alright. The man's name is Jake, and the woman's is Lindsey. Jake and I were best friends. He's the reason I even decided to become a police officer. Well, about two years ago, I met Lindsey. She was new to town, and we just happened to start talking. After a year, we were living together and engaged to be married. I was the happiest I had ever been. Jake and her always got along so well, making me happy that I could spend time with both of them at the same time. A few months later, she told me that she was pregnant. I was thrilled. It wasn't until another few months later, did she tell me that Jake was the father. Now, I'm here, and he's on the cover of the newspaper with his loving family."

"Lucas, I'm so sorry."

"No. It's alright. Believe it or not, I'm relieved. After Lindsey left, I started noticing all of the little things about her that I didn't before. Now, she's Jake's problem." He loved the way Peyton rubbed her hand back and forth along his arm sympathetically. "Besides, I love my life now. I couldn't picture it without you."

She stopped and looked at him. "Do you really mean it?"

"Peyton, spending time with you is the best part of my day," he said with nothing but honesty.

"Mine too," she agreed.

They kept walking, and she returned to the place at his side, her head resting on his shoulder. He ran a hand over her arm, his arm wrapping protectively around her. He changed the subject, wanting to keep talking to her.

"Peyton, tell me about your most prized possession."

"Why don't you tell me yours first?" she asked.

"Alright. Well, growing up, I had this author that I loved. I read all of his books, and every year, he would come to New York for a book signing. I would beg my mother to take me, but we could never afford the plane tickets. Eventually, I stopped asking. On my 15th birthday, Keith surprised me with tickets to New York. I grabbed my favorite book of his and we left that night, just two of us. I met him, and he signed my book. That book is my favorite possession. I still have it put away somewhere safe."

"Wow. That's so sweet," Peyton said.

"Yes, well, let's hear about your most prized possession now," Lucas told her.

"When I was little, my mother would bring out her record player and we would dance to records. We would laugh and have an amazing time. My dad would stand in the doorway and watch us. That was when he would smile the most. Sometimes, he would even join us. Those are my favorite memories. To the day she died, she danced with me. When she couldn't even get out of the bed anymore, she would still have me bring out the record player and play songs. I would climb onto the bed next to her and we would only move our arms. Even then, my father would smile. When she died, the record player was one of the only things I had left of her. A week after she died, the record player broke. My dad promised he'd take it to get fixed, but he never did. Now, it's in the attic. I haven't seen that smile of his since."

Lucas stopped, seeing that they were already inside of the house. They stood outside Peyton's room. He turned to face her, hearing the sadness in her voice. He saw her tears that ran down her cheeks and wiped them off with his thumb. She looked down, trying to regain herself a little. He lifted up her chin, making her look into his eyes. He brought his lips to her forehead and placed a gentle kiss there. She lost it and let out her tears. He pulled her to his chest, embracing her in his arms. He ran his hand through her hair, letting her cry into his shirt.

"I try to pretend like it doesn't hurt anymore," she said in between sobs. "But it does hurt. It hurts everyday."

"It's alright. I'm here for you. You don't have to pretend with me. I promise."

He stayed holding her until she stopped crying. Then, she went into her room, and he went into his.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey, Everybody! I wanted to mention something that I forgot to mention in the last chapter. I received a lot of reviews that mention how creepy Larry was in chapter three. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry if Larry was acting creepy. That was not my intention at all. I was trying to show that he was just being a guy. Also, in the part when he said he tried to get with Ms. Davis, I meant Victoria, Brooke's mother. Either way, I will make sure I tone down the creepiness of Larry. Thank you for all of the reviews. Please continue to do so. Thank you :)**

* * *

Peyton jumped out of bed, excitement flowing throughout her for the chance to see Lucas. After changing out of her sleepwear and into regular clothes, she raced down the stairs. Her hands ran along the wood rail, her eyes watching where her feet were taking her. She froze and looked up, once hearing the sound of a voice being cleared.

"Peyton, look who's here," Larry said with a smile.

"Hello, Peyton," Nathan said.

Peyton stared at him, a blank look on her face. She realized she was being rude by not responding, and decided to give him the same greeting. "Hello, Nathan." Her father's smile only grew. "Father, have you seen Lucas?"

"Actually, I gave Lucas the day off today."

"What? Why would you do that?" Peyton asked.

"Because, My Dear, today you won't need him. You will be spending the whole day with Nathan. He has asked to take you out, and of course I was more than happy to agree." Larry looked at Nathan with a gleam in his eyes. "Now, go upstairs and change into fancier clothes. Mia should have already fixed you something nice."

Peyton ran up the stairs just as quickly as she did down. She didn't want to spend the whole day with Nathan. She knew she had to find Lucas right away. She passed by her room and knocked on his door. She was about to turn and try somewhere else, when the door was swung open. Lucas, book in hand and dressed in his usual apparel, looked happy and startled to see Peyton. She knew she surprised him when instead of saying hello to him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. He recovered quick, placing one hand on her neck and one arm around her lower back. It was the best hug either of them had ever had.

"What was that for?" he asked once they separated.

"I'm not sure. I just saw you, and something overcame me," she said, her tone happy. "I'm really upset about today."

"Why? You'll be spending it with your prince," Lucas said, a trace of bitterness in his voice.

"He is anything but that to me. I'd rather be spending the day with you," she told him.

"Peyton, we've spent everyday together for the past month," Lucas said, laughing.

"Well, not everyday," Peyton argued. "There are some days that I've spent with Brooke."

"True," Lucas agreed. "The truth is: I'd rather be the one spending the day with you too."

Her smile stretched across her face, and he wore the same one.

"Peyton, I hope you are finished up there. You should not keep Nathan waiting," her father called from downstairs.

Mia, who exited Peyton's room to find her standing next to Lucas, smiled. "Mr. Sawyer, there was a difficulty with the outfit. Peyton will be down in just a moment," Mia called back.

"Thank you, Mia," Peyton said. "I should get ready. I'll see you later, Lucas."

"Of course," Lucas responded. He shot her one last glance before shutting the door.

* * *

"Where are we going?" Peyton asked Nathan once they had left.

"Oh, you'll see," he answered.

"How long will we be gone?"

"I'm not sure," he replied. He watched as she let out a sigh. "Our day hasn't even started, and yet you seem so desperate to leave me."

_Yes!_ Peyton wanted to answer. "No. That's not the case at all. I'm just a curious person."

"I see. I want a woman with curiosity in her," Nathan said.

She faked a laugh and looked the other way, hugging her chest. "Well, hopefully you'll find her."

"I think I already have," he said, looking her up and down.

"Are we almost there yet?" she asked, changing the subject. She tried to keep the nausea down.

"Just enjoy the walk." He turned to face her, continuing to walk. "Has your father spoken to you about wedding arrangements?"

"Wedding arrangements? For who?"

"For us," he stated simply. He saw the look of surprise flash across her face. "Come on, Peyton. Your father must have spoke a little about it with you. He's the one who brought it up to me."

"What exactly did he say?" she asked. She felt like she might throw up at any moment.

"He invited me over and brought me into his library. Once there, he asked me if I had a special lady in my life. When I responded with a no, he immediately brought up you. He kept saying how much you liked me and if I were to marry you, you would be thrilled. I, of course, would have no problem doing so. I told him it sounded like an amazing idea, and he requested that I start planning it now. I thought you knew."

"No, I didn't!" Her eyes began to drip tears and she tried to wipe them away. He was nothing like Lucas, who wiped them for her. Instead, he looked the other way, making sure there was no one around to witness it.

"Peyton, are you ok?" he asked.

"No, I'm not ok. Can you please just take me home?" She didn't wait for an answer. She began walking home, leaving him behind.

"Peyton!" he said, grabbing her arm. "Wait. Would you please wait?"

"What?!" she questioned harshly.

"How about you just spend the day with me? If you don't have a good time at all, I'll tell your father I'm not interested anymore. I'll leave you alone forever. Just please give me one day," he begged.

She stopped and stared at him. "Really? You'd do that?"

"Yes, just please give me a chance."

"Alright," she answered, wiping away her own tears and straightening herself out. "But one day is all you get."

* * *

Lucas flipped the page in his book, intrigued in the activity displaying on the page. A sharp knock on his door brought him out of his thoughts. He put the book down and opened the door.

"Lucas," Larry greeted. "I hope you don't mind, but since Peyton is gone for the day, I invited Brooke."

"Hello, Lucas," Brooke said, stepping out from behind Larry.

"Hello, Brooke," Lucas replied.

"Well, I'll just leave the two of you alone," Larry said, disappearing down the stairs.

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" Brooke asked after a while.

"Yes. Of course," Lucas answered, stepping out of the doorway to let her through.

"This is a nice room you have," she observed.

"Thank you." He watched her as she sat on his bed. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but why did you come?"

"Well, I have some news I'm sure you'd love to hear."

"Is that so?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "About what?"

"Actually, you should be asking me 'About who'," Brooke said with a grin.

"Alright. About who?" Lucas asked, repeating her words.

"Nathan."

* * *

Peyton walked into the restaurant, Nathan right behind her. They took a seat at a booth, waiting to be served. Peyton saw a young waitress approach them, and blew out a breath.

"Hello. What can I get you today?" she asked.

Nathan shot her a smile, obviously familiar with her. "Hello, Stacy. We'll just have one medium pizza."

"Coming right up, Nathan," she said with a smile. Her hand brushed past his arm on purpose. "Have you been working out?"

"Yes, I have. Do you like it?"

Peyton stared at him, anger on her face. He wanted her to like him, but he was flirting with the waitress right in front of her. She watched as Stacy poured Nathan water, giving him his own private show. When Stacy left, Nathan turned back to face Peyton.

"Peyton, is pizza alright with you?"

"Anything is good. Just as long as it gets me out of here sooner," she muttered.

"You told me you'd give me a chance," he said angrily.

"Nathan you were just flirting with the waitress right in front of me!" she exclaimed.

"Alright, you need to calm down. That's the way we all are with Stacy," he defended.

"Sure," she said, not finding the use in fighting with him. She stayed quiet the rest of the dinner and listened to him talk about himself the whole time, occasionally flirting with Stacy. When they finally left, it was evening, and Nathan had way to much to drink.

Peyton held Nathan's arm as it wrapped around her neck. It was in no way near to the way Lucas did it. She felt his weight rest on her and she pushed him back onto his feet. "Nathan, you need to walk. You are too heavy for me to carry. Please walk," she begged.

"I'll try, Peyton," he managed.

Nathan took a few steps, stumbling onto the curb. Peyton grabbed his hand and helped him up. She pulled him along, practically dragging him. Eventually, they made it back to her place. She walked him up the stairs and into one of the spare bedrooms. She spread him onto the bed, and saw his eyes shut. Taking a deep breath, she began to walk away.

"Peyton, wait!" he exclaimed, grabbing her arm.

She turned around to face him, watching him stand up. "What is it?"

"You had fun today, didn't you?" he asked.

"Nathan, just sleep it off, ok? You can't go home like this, so you are spending the night here," she explained.

"Why don't you stay with me?"

"Nathan, you told me to give you a chance. I did. Now, I'm telling you it's not going to work. In the morning, I wish that you tell my father you are not interested, just like you promised." She yanked free of his grip, only to be grabbed again.

"No. I won't do it," he refused. "I know how you feel about me, Peyton. You couldn't take your eyes off me all night. Just come lay down with me. Your father isn't home tonight. He told me he wouldn't be earlier. We're all alone."

"Nathan, let go of me!"

He pulled her onto the mattress, his strength being to much for her. She lay flat underneath him, trying to push him away. He placed her wrists in his grasp, making her unable of using her arms. His mouth found her neck, and she kept yelling out in protest.

"Nathan! Get off of me! Help! Please, get off!"

All of a sudden, the weight was lifted from her and she could breath again. She stood up running up to the door. She turned to see Lucas holding Nathan against the wall. His arm was against Nathan's neck, and Nathan's face was turning red with the effort to escape. Lucas let him go, and Nathan fell to the ground.

"Not so fun, is it?" Lucas asked.

Nathan glared at him, pure hatred in his eyes. "What's your problem?"

"My problem? If you asked me, I'd say you were the one with the problem!"

Nathan stood up. "Who do you think you are?" He got into Lucas's face, Lucas remaining strangely calm. "Peyton doesn't want you. Why don't you see that?"

"It doesn't matter. All I want is for her to be safe. It's my job to watch over her," Lucas answered.

"Sure it is, but that's all. Her father would chose me over you any day."

"Even after hearing about what happened right now?" Lucas challenged.

"Like he would ever believe you," Nathan said. "If I tell him it's not true, it's not true. Even if Peyton told him it was true, he'd believe me."

"You better stay away from Peyton," Lucas threatened.

"You're a little late to the party. Peyton and I are getting married," Nathan said. "It's already official."

Lucas couldn't speak anymore. His throat grew dry. All he could do was turn around and look at Peyton. Peyton walked up to him, grabbing his hand. She looked at Nathan.

"That's where you're wrong, Nathan. We are not getting married. I don't care if I have to run away. I will never become your wife," Peyton said, her voice cold.

"It's not up to you," Nathan said, walking past them. He stopped in the doorway, turning back. "You will be my wife, Peyton. There's no use in running."

"Even if I tell Larry that you've been having sex with Brooke for the past three months? Even when he finds out that right before you came to pick Peyton up today, you had sex with her? What do you think he'll say to that?" Lucas asked. "And Larry would believe Brooke over you. He holds the Davis family in a very high place."

Nathan blew out a deep breath, realizing he was done, and rubbed his eyes. "It's fine. I don't even know what there is to like about you, Peyton. I don't see how anyone could want you." He was about to leave, when her voice stopped him.

"Nathan," she called. "You were wrong."

"Wrong about what?"

"Earlier, when you said I didn't want Lucas," she told him.

Her hands landed on Lucas's face, pulling his lips to hers. Their eyes closed with all the passion. Lucas wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her close. He kissed her deeper and deeper, the world around them becoming vague.

* * *

**Alright, Everybody. You wanted your kiss, so here it is. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please let me know what you think in a review. Thank you!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey, Guys! Thank you for the reviews! Here is another chapter for you. This chapter has a lot of little Leyton moments, so I hope you enjoy them. Please leave me a review. Thank you.**

* * *

It had been a week since their kiss. Nothing else had happened, and Lucas found his time shared with Peyton growing quiet and awkward. He could sense that she wanted him to do something about the kiss; to at least talk about it, but he remained quiet. Since she made it perfectly clear that she wanted him, it was obviously up to him to decide whether or not he felt the same way. He wanted to tell her he did.

He walked downstairs where he usually found her waiting for him, but saw no sign of her. He went back upstairs, knowing that there was one place she would probably be. She always went to this room when she was thinking about something. He walked through the quiet halls, down to the very last room. The door was slightly ajar, and he could see light shining through the crack. His fingers brushed against the wood, bringing the door fully open. He observed her, her not noticing his presence. She was sitting on a chair, face resting on her hands, staring outside the only window in the room. The table was to the left of her, placed perfectly in the center on the room. In the corner was an old piano, and the room was a clean shade of white.

"What are you doing?" he asked, remaining in the doorway.

Her head snapped back to look at him, but her gaze immediately returned to the window. "Just thinking," she muttered.

He took that as his cue to step forward, shutting the door on the way over. He pulled out one of the chairs at the table and sat down next to her. She didn't look up once. "What are you thinking about?" he asked.

"Things," she uttered, still remaining nonspecific.

"What kind of things?" he further questioned. "Us?" he suggested.

She nodded. "I'm regretting the kiss."

"Why?"

"Why?" she repeated with a tinge of anger in her voice. She looked at him. "All it has done is make things worse. We don't talk like we used to, I worry every second about Nathan telling my father, and you obviously don't feel the same way."

"Peyton," he started. He closed his eyes and shook his head. "That's not it at all."

"It isn't?" She raised her eyebrows at him. "You act like you don't even know me. You haven't given me any signs as to how you're feeling about me, except that you don't feel anything at all."

"In case you've forgotten, I did kiss you back that night," he said, growing angry as well. She stayed quiet, and he knew he had gotten her. "I do feel the same way, Peyton."

"Then why don't you show it?" she asked, her voice soft.

"I'm worried that someone will catch us," he replied. "Not your father, because he is blinded by his love for Nathan to ever even consider the thought of you liking someone else."

"Then who?"

"The staff. They are loyal to your father and would tell him about us in a heartbeat. Plus, they have eyes everywhere. I'm surprised no one saw the kiss."

"You're right," she agreed. "But we can trust Mia."

"Yes, Mia's different," he whispered. "Have you told anyone about the kiss?"

"No. I didn't think there was anything to tell considering we haven't talked about it at all."

"You should tell Brooke," he told her, ignoring her last sentence.

"What? Why? She's been trying to claim you ever since you got here," Peyton said.

"Actually, Brooke has changed. I told her I wasn't interested in her and she guessed it was because I was interested in you. She said she wanted to help us get together. She's a big part of the reason that we shared that kiss. She came over earlier that day and told me about what had happened with her and Nathan," Lucas explained. "I'm sure she would love to hear about what happened between us later that day."

"Alright," she agreed. "That's so strange. I would never have thought Brooke was behind this. I'll call her right away and invite her over."

Peyton stood up and Lucas did the same. "Sounds good," he said. He grabbed her hand and pulled her into the little closet located inside the room. "But first," he began, cutting off his words by meeting his lips with Peyton's.

Her head tilted up against the wall, giving him the chance to slip his tongue into her mouth. His left hand remained intertwined with hers, his right hand running a thumb lovingly across her cheek. Her other hand rested on his shoulder, pulling him closer. When they broke apart, she smiled.

"I've been wanting to do that all week," he told her in all sincerity.

"And I've been wanting you to," she replied.

* * *

"So, Lucas, are you tired of my daughter yet?" Larry asked as they all sat around the dinner table.

Brooke was sitting on the right of Larry, while Peyton sat on his left. Lucas sat next to Peyton, their hands grasping each other's under the table. Lucas let out a laugh and shook his head.

"It's actually just the opposite, Sir," Lucas replied. "Spending time with Peyton is the best part of my day."

"That's really kind of you to say, Lucas," Larry said with a smile. He shot Lucas a wink, assuming he was only saying it to please Peyton. "Lucas, why don't you come sit here next to Brooke."

"No, it's fine. I'm content just where I am."

"No, I insist. Peyton wouldn't mind, would you?" Larry asked her.

Before she could respond, Brooke spoke up. "Actually, Mr. Sawyer, I'd rather not sit next to Lucas. I know all about your little games to try to set us up."

"What? Me?" Larry asked with false innocence. He laughed. "Well, I guess you're onto me."

"Yes, I am. You are actually the first that will hear of my news," Brooke told everyone. "I'm in a relationship with someone."

"What? With who?" Peyton asked her best friend.

"You missed your shot, Lucas," Larry told him.

"I actually only looked at Brooke as a friend, Mr. Sawyer," Lucas told him. "I'm happy for her."

"Alright, everyone. I'll tell you who he is when I know for certain that it is serious," Brooke said, bringing the attention back on her.

"Really, Brooke?" Peyton groaned.

They all laughed, completely oblivious to the watching eyes at the end of the hall. Henry, one of Larry's most loyal servants, watched through squinted eyes as Lucas and Peyton held hands. He let out a laugh of his own, thinking about the possible raise he could get for this information. A voice broke his thoughts.

"What are you doing, Henry?" Mia asked.

"Look over at the table," he instructed. "Do you see that?"

"See what?"

"That. There," he pointed. "Lucas and Peyton are holding hands. I bet you they're sleeping together. Veronica told me she thought she saw them kissing about a week ago, but I didn't believe her. Can you blame me? It was the same night Nathan was here. I convinced her she was wrong, but now I believe it." He shook his head. "I knew Larry should have never hired someone so sexy," Henry commented, his eyes wandering over Lucas.

"Henry, you better not tell anyone about this," Mia warned.

"Are you crazy? I plan on telling everyone about this."

"Well, if you do, expect everyone to know about your above normal liking for men," Mia threatened.

"You wouldn't!" Henry exclaimed.

"Oh, I would. You leave their love life alone, and I shall do the same for you."

After realizing she wasn't joking, Henry caved. "Alright, Mia." She nodded her head and smiled. "They are kind of cute together," Henry admitted.

* * *

Lucas and Peyton sat in the grass, enjoying the beginning of a new day. Peyton decided to lay down, and Lucas took the spot next to her. This time, he took her hand without a second thought. He brought it to his lips and placed a gentle kiss to it.

"I could lay like this forever," she told him.

"Do you really mean that?" he asked.

"I've never meant anything more."

"Then promise me one day we'll lay here together without a care in the world. We won't have to worry about your father because he has grown to accept us, and everything will be perfect. Promise me that will happen one day."

"I promise." She turned her head to look at him and her eyes met his, seeing them full of love. She blew out a deep breath. "God, how is it possible to feel this way about someone you've only known a month?" she asked.

"It's been a month and a half," he defended. She laughed at him. "I've wanted to pursue a relationship with you from the moment you walked through those library doors."

"Really? she asked. He responded by kissing her hand again. "I felt the same way." She felt his eyes on her and turned to look at him. "What?" she questioned. He moved on top of her, kissing her neck. "Lucas!" she laughed, trying not so hard at all to push him off. He kissed her, pulling away to look into her eyes.

"I really wish we could do this whenever we wanted," he told her.

"Me too," she said, pecking his lips. He went back to his earlier position, bringing her with him. She lay in his warm embrace, resting her head against his chest.

"It's like this place was made for us," he thought out loud.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it's the only place on all of your father's land where no one can see us. Also, it's beyond gorgeous. The grass is so soft and the sun hits at just the right angle. I just... I... This is our spot," Lucas told her, finally finding the right words.

"Yes, this is our spot," Peyton agreed.

* * *

Another week later, Peyton was convinced she was in love with Lucas. They had spent countless time together, just talking. It was different than before. Now, they would spend the whole day in their little spot on the grass. He would hold her in his arms until the stars came out. They would kiss in between conversations, never growing old of the feeling. She loved everything she learned about him, as did he with her. She loved the little things she never noticed before. She loved the way he let out a small sigh after kissing her, she loved they way he would rest his head on her shoulder when she was in his arms, she loved the way he ran his fingers through her hair without even realizing it.

Peyton walked downstairs, expecting to see Lucas in his regular spot at the table. She heard voices coming from the library, and headed that way. Reaching the door, she saw that it was already open. Her eyes wandered inside and met with her father's. His arms were at his sides and his face was unreadable. Then, she saw Lucas sitting at the table, avoiding her stare.

"Come in, Peyton," Larry said.

Peyton looked confused, but took the seat next to Lucas. Lucas looked guilty and nervous, causing Peyton to worry. Peyton grew a look of surprise, seeing Nathan step out of the corner of the room. "What is he doing here?" she asked.

"Well, it just so happens Nathan has some news to share with us. He said it was urgent that you two be here to hear this," Larry explained. "Nathan," Larry said, motioning him to begin speaking.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey, Everybody! Here's another chapter for you. I hope you enjoy. I would just like to address a certain review I got from an anonymous reviewer. It asked how old Peyton was because if she was eighteen or older, Larry couldn't have someone watching her or telling her what to do. I would like to kindly point out that I already had the answer to that in the story. Peyton is seventeen, about to turn eighteen. The reviewer also said that if Peyton is sixteen or seventeen, Larry can't be forcing Peyton to be with Nathan or even talking about getting married. Again, the answer to that is in the story. I said very clearly in the beginning of this story that it takes place a long time ago. That being said, I meant it to be a period in time where the parents chose who the child marries. If there are any other questions that I can help out with, let me know. Otherwise, enjoy the chapter and leave a review.**

* * *

Peyton walked downstairs, expecting to see Lucas in his regular spot at the table. She heard voices coming from the library, and headed that way. Reaching the door, she saw that it was already open. Her eyes wandered inside and met with her father's. His arms were at his sides and his face was unreadable. Then, she saw Lucas sitting at the table, avoiding her stare.

"Come in, Peyton," Larry said.

Peyton looked confused, but took the seat next to Lucas. Lucas looked guilty and nervous, causing Peyton to worry. Peyton grew a look of surprise, seeing Nathan step out of the corner of the room. "What is he doing here?" she asked.

"Well, it just so happens Nathan has some news to share with us. He said it was urgent that you two be here to hear this," Larry explained. "Nathan," Larry said, motioning him to begin speaking.

"Alright," Nathan said. He looked at Larry and took a deep breath. "Mr. Sawyer, I'm sure that what I'm about to say will upset you very much."

"What is it?" Larry asked. Nathan hesitated, staring at the floor. "Just tell me already."

Nathan looked at Lucas and Peyton. "I'm in a relationship with Brooke Davis," he said quickly.

"You're what?" Peyton asked, happy that it wasn't what she thought it was going to be, but upset about what he said.

"I know this is sudden, but we've been spending time together, and it feels right. Mr. Sawyer, I know you wanted me to marry Peyton, but right now the chances of that actually happening don't look good at all. I'm in love with Brooke. She didn't want to tell you until she knew I was serious about it, but I made sure she knew I was," Nathan explained.

"Well, I'm very happy for you, Nathan. Your happiness means a lot to me since I've always considered you family. It upsets me that Peyton is no longer of your interest, but I know there is someone else out there for her," Larry said.

Peyton was surprised. She didn't expect her father to take the news so lightly. "You better treat her right," Peyton warned, remembering the night they went out and how he had acted.

"I will," Nathan promised with a smile.

Larry looked at Nathan. "So, how did you and Brooke happen?"

Lucas looked at Peyton and saw that she was looking at him already. She wanted to get out of there, and he knew it. He couldn't lie and say that he didn't want the exact same thing. "Can we go now?" Lucas asked, feeling impatient.

"Of course," Larry answered.

Lucas and Peyton left the room, eager to be alone again. They went to their spot in the grass and discussed their thoughts on Brooke and Nathan's relationship. That topic didn't last too long. They talked about other things, mostly involving each other. Lucas held her in his arms, sweeping her hair from her neck, and placing a gentle kiss to it.

"I thought he was going to tell him about the kiss," Peyton admitted.

"Me too. I was so afraid. What would we do if your father found out?" Lucas wondered.

"I don't even want to think about it," Peyton whispered. They stayed quiet.

"What are we doing?" Lucas questioned all of a sudden. "Your father still has no idea about us. We should be celebrating!"

"Celebrating?" Peyton repeated. "And just how do you suppose we do that?"

"We could go out?" Lucas suggested. "Wait, that's perfect. I know this restaurant that you would without a doubt love, and it will give us a chance to be alone together."

"Alright," she agreed with a nod. "Let's go."

* * *

They arrived at the restaurant, and Peyton was surprised by how well he knew her. Without even stepping foot in it, she already loved it. Walking in, she saw a live band in the corner. People were milling around, some singing along to the music, while some danced. The music was peaceful and relaxing, and she loved that Lucas thought the same thing.

They sat at a table and he let her order for herself, unlike Nathan. Also, he didn't flirt with the waitress, or even pay her any attention. Instead of drinking alcohol, he stuck to water. They made little conversation, deciding to spend most of their time enjoying the music and the comfort of each other's presence. Peyton sat next to him, his arm around her back, keeping her head against his shoulder.

When they had finished eating, Lucas asked her to dance. She nodded her head, following him into the small crowd of people. She rested her head on him and wrapped her arms around his back. His arms stayed around her waist, his head next to hers. They swayed to the music, loving the closeness that was between them. She lifted her head up and looked into his blue eyes. He stared back at her, getting lost in her green ones.

Without a word, their lips met. They seemed to move in harmony with the music. Peyton's hands ran up his back, eventually remaining around his neck. His tongue licked her bottom lip, asking for entrance. She let him slide his tongue into her mouth and they got swept away in all the passion. When they finally broke apart, there was less people dancing. The few people that remained were watching them, a smile on their faces.

"You make a really cute couple," a waitress told them.

"We sure do," Lucas agreed, lowering his head to kiss Peyton again.

* * *

The next day, Brooke came over to see Peyton. Peyton had called her because she needed to talk to Brooke about something extremely important. Hearing the news of that, Brooke rushed over. They were lying down on the bed, enjoying the small talk between friends. Peyton had told her all about the things her and Lucas had done. Finally, Brooke sat up and pulled Peyton with her.

"Alright, Peyton. We've talked about everything you could possibly think of, but you still haven't told me the reason you needed me to come over," Brooke said.

"I know, Brooke. I'm sorry. I'm trying to avoid the conversation now because I'm just not sure how you'll take it. I don't want you to think I'm crazy," Peyton admitted.

"Peyton, you don't ever have to worry about such things. We are best friends, remember? You can tell me anything."

"Alright," Peyton agreed, letting out a deep breath. "I think I love Lucas."

"You think?" Brooke asked.

"Alright, I know. I've known for a while. Actually, to be honest, I think I've known since the first moment we locked eyes." Peyton held her breath, awaiting Brooke's reaction. "Do you think I'm crazy?"

"Peyton, I think this is great. I'm just wondering why you haven't told him how you feel yet," Brooke told her.

"I'm afraid he doesn't feel the same way. I feel like he does, but I know that telling him how I feel could affect our relationship in a bad way if he doesn't feel the same. I don't ever want things to change between us. Everything is perfect."

"Peyton, if you don't say it, I'm sure he will. I think you should tell him though. I see the way he looks at you, and I know it's love," Brooke said.

"Thank you, Brooke. I knew I could talk to you." Peyton gave her best friend a hug, grateful for the advice. "So, why don't you tell me all about how you and Nathan happened?"

"Wow. That one's a long story," Brooke laughed. "He came over to my house looking for you. You weren't home, so he figured you would be with me. Since you weren't, he decided to wait for you at my house. We got to talking, and we slept together that night," Brooke began.

"Brooke!" Peyton exclaimed.

"I know. I shouldn't have done it, but it just felt right. Anyways, we kept _getting together_ after that. Eventually, we fell in love. He told me the morning you and Lucas kissed that he was leaving me to marry you, and my heart broke. That's when I came to Lucas about what Nathan and I had been doing. It took a little begging, but I finally forgave him. Now, here we are."

"Why were you flirting with Lucas when he first came here if you were in love with Nathan?"

"Honey, that was acting. I knew from the moment you saw him, you liked him. I was pretending to like him to see what he would do. Didn't you find it a little odd that I backed off so easily?" Brooke questioned.

"Now that I think about it, I guess so." Peyton stayed quiet, thinking about what she just found out. "Why didn't you tell me about you and Nathan?"

"I thought you would judge me because of Nathan's reputation. He is not really like that Peyton, I promise."

"Well, why was he so quick to leave you for me?" Peyton asked.

"It seems that your father was paying him to be with you. Nathan was in need of the money because his family is struggling," Brooke explained.

"What? That can't be true. My father wants me to marry him because of his money," Peyton argued.

"I'm sorry, Peyton, but it's true. Nathan told me all about it. Your father must want you to be with Nathan for another reason."

"I wonder what that is," Peyton thought aloud.

* * *

Another seven days later, Lucas was in his bed reading. It was dark outside, the clock saying 11:00 pm, and the stars shined through the glass doors of his balcony. That was the only light in the room besides the small lamp Lucas had by his side. He heard a knock at the door, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Come in," he called. He smiled when Peyton walked in, obviously only half awake. His heart stopped when he saw the fear in her eyes. "Peyton, what's wrong?"

"I had a bad dream," she told him, looking embarrassed. "I tried to go back to sleep, but I can't get it out of my head. This is the only place I wanted to go to."

"Come here," he told her.

She obeyed him, crawling into his bed next to him. She placed her head on his shoulder, automatically feeling better. He wrapped an arm around her, his hand running up and down her shoulder. He kissed the top of her head comfortingly.

"Want to tell me about your dream?" he asked.

"It was about my mother," she said. "We were driving in this car, when she turned to look at me. I guess I had asked her a question, because she seemed to be responding to me. I tried to make out what she was saying, but I couldn't understand her. Just as the words began to become clear to me, another car slammed into ours. The last thing I saw was her throwing her arms around me, attempting to protect me from the car."

"Wow," Lucas said. "That's a pretty bad dream, Peyton. I'm so sorry you had it. But it's not true, alright?" He felt her nod her head against him. "I'm glad you came to me."

"I'm just surprised you were awake. I don't know where I would have gone if you were asleep."

"I was reading," he told her. "I love to read before bed."

"Me too," she said, letting out a yawn. "I actually feel a lot better now that I came to you. I'm tired." She let out another yawn.

"Why don't you try to get some rest? I'm just a door away. You can come back if you feel upset again, alright?"

"I'd rather stay with you," she replied.

"Peyton, if your father walked in and saw us together, he would kill me."

"I'll leave before he wakes up. Please?" she begged.

Looking into her eyes, he knew there was no point in disagreeing with her. "Alright."

He lifted up the covers, letting her slide into bed with him. She lied down on one of his extra pillows. He picked up his book again, unconsciously running his fingers through her hair. When he decided to call it a night, he saw that she was fast asleep. He had never seen anything more perfect. He reached over to turn off the lamp, settling into bed next to her. He wrapped an arm around her and felt her unconsciously adjust herself against him. He kissed her head, falling into a deep sleep.

* * *

Lucas knew that after that night, there was no going back to sleeping in separate beds. Every night for the past week, Peyton would sneak into his room. She would lock the door and jump into bed next to him. He would wrap his arm around her, and they would immediately fall asleep, surrounded by comfort. Nothing ever happened. He respected Peyton way more than to ever try something. He was willing to wait until she was ready. The farthest it would ever go was heated kissing and subtle touches.

Lucas began to wonder why they hadn't gotten caught yet. He knew they were being careful, but he was sure they were running low on their luck. It had been two months since he's been there, and he wondered where the time had went. He ran a hand through the hair on his head, smiling at the sight of Peyton asleep next to him. He loved waking up to her body lying next to his.

She became less cautious, now not bothering to sneak back into her own room before her father woke up. She would come into the room early, usually before 9:00 pm. She would leave around 8:00 am, only to shower in her own bathroom. They managed to stay hidden, no one asking them about what had been going on.

Lucas placed a kiss to Peyton's lips, causing her to wake up. She opened her eyes and looked at him. She gave him a smile and sat up in the bed. She pulled Lucas back to her, wrapping her arms around his neck. Their lips met, moving together perfectly. His hands rested on her lower back, bringing her flat against him. She began to pull him back onto the mattress with her, getting lost in the kiss. He pulled away, standing up on the floor.

"What?" she questioned, a confused look on her face.

"Peyton, you know we can't do this right now. Your father could come in at any moment. It's already going to be 9:00," he said. "You have to start being more careful. Pretty soon our luck is going to run out."

"You're right. I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry." she replied, looking down.

"Peyton, it's not that I don't want to lay here all day kissing you, because I do. We just can't risk getting caught. If we get caught, I wouldn't be able to see you again."

"I'll start being more careful. I couldn't even bare the thought of losing you," she told him. She stood up, walking over to him. "I'm going to go take a shower now," she said, giving him a quick kiss.

Lucas smiled at her and watched her walk out. Peyton opened the door, almost crashing into Henry. A look of nervousness covered her face, and she felt her throat begin to close up. She was praying that her relationship with Lucas wasn't over. She was praying that Henry would somehow obtain a small fragment of kindness and never speak a word of this to her father.

"Hello, Ms. Sawyer," Henry said. "How are you?"

"I'm- I'm fine," Peyton said, clearing her throat. "This- this isn't what it looks like."

"Peyton," Harry interrupted. "It's alright. I know."

"You know?" Peyton asked.

"Yes. I saw you guys together quite a while ago now," he explained.

"You have? Why haven't you told my father about this?"

"Mia has some dirt on me, and threatened to use it if I told."

"I see," Peyton replied, a smile on her face.

"Yes. You sure do make a cute couple though," Henry complemented.

"Thank you. Are you the only one who knows?"

"No. A little more than half the staff does. You people aren't as sneaky as you thought you were," Henry said. "Lucky for you, Mia also has dirt on them. I bet they're all wishing they had never told Mia their darkest secrets."

"Yes. I bet," Peyton agreed.

Lucas came up behind Peyton, listening to the conversation that was taking place outside his door. Peyton straightened, feeling him come up from behind her. She turned her head slightly, smiling. He squinted at Henry, Henry looking away.

"Thank you for not sharing your news of us with everyone, Henry," Lucas said.

"You're very welcome."

"Now, is there anything else we can help you with?" Lucas asked.

"Actually, there is a reason I came up here. Lucas, there is someone at the door for you," Henry told him.

"Alright. I'll be right there." Lucas turned to Peyton as Henry walked away. "I guess we're going to have to thank Mia."

"I guess so," she agreed. She kissed him quickly, entering her own room. "I'm going to shower."

"Alright," Lucas said, smiling at her.

Lucas walked down the stairs, wondering who could be at the door. He reached the bottom, pulling the door open. He couldn't believe his eyes at the sight in front of him.

"Lindsey?" Lucas questioned, still not sure if he was seeing correctly.

"Hello, Lucas," Lindsey replied, a smile on her lips.


	8. Chapter 8

"Lindsey, what are you doing here?" Lucas asked, closing the door behind him.

"Lucas, I need your help," she said. "_We_ need your help." She stepped to the side, revealing a small stroller. Inside was a baby.

"Why'd you come to me?"

"Lucas, you're the only one I know who would help us. Please," she begged.

"Tell me what happened," Lucas demanded, stepping away from the house.

She followed him, pushing the baby with her. "Alright. Thank you for hearing me out."

"Just get on with it," he said, his voice cold.

"Well, after we went our separate ways, I moved in with Jake. He was treating me like a queen, always talking about how excited he was for the baby to come. When we found out it was going to be a boy, he was thrilled. The baby came out and was born with a lung defect. It became too hard for me to handle all by myself, so Jake started staying home from work more often. Eventually, he lost his promotion, then his job," Lindsey told him.

"What happened after that?" he urged.

"Jake started getting angry. He would lose his temper easily, punching holes in the walls out of frustration. One day, he was so mad he hit me. All he does now is drink. He no longer cares about the baby. We don't have any money, and we're starving. I left Jake after he refused to work again. Now, here I am," she finished.

"Wow. That's really tough, Lindsey. I'm sorry," Lucas said, causing her to smile at him. "I don't know how to help you though." Her smile dropped.

"Lucas, you don't even know what I'm asking of you."

"Alright. What is it that you want?"

"All I need is money. Just enough to get back on my feet. Then, I can get a job. My cousin is in town and offered to watch my son."

"How much do you need?"

"$1000 should be good," she said.

"Lindsey, that is not a little amount!" he exclaimed.

"Come on, Lucas. It's not like you don't have any money. We were in love once. I know all about who you really are," she said, losing her desperate composure. "The question is: Do they?" She nodded her head toward the house.

"Are you trying to blackmail me?" he asked.

"Just give me the money and everything will be fine."

"I cannot believe you. Did you even leave Jake?" She just smiled at him. "You made up that entire story, didn't you?"

"Yes. And it only took me about two minutes to do it. Jake and I are actually very happy together. We plan on leaving Tree Hill, but in order to do that, we need money. That's where you come in," she explained.

"I'm glad you're not my problem anymore." He pulled out his checkbook form the back pocket of his pants. He scribbled something onto the check, ripping it out of the book and handing it to her. She looked it over and smiled. "Don't ever come back here again."

"Thank you, Lucas," she said, walking away from him.

He went back into the house, frustration flowing through his body.

* * *

Peyton finished getting ready, coming down the stairs. She walked into the dining room, spotting Lucas. He was sitting in a chair, a glass of liquor in his hand. He looked deep in thought, not even noticing Peyton's presence. She walked up from behind him, placing her hands on his shoulders. He looked up at her, snapping back into reality.

"Isn't it a little early to be drinking?" she asked.

"I know I shouldn't be. I'm just in need of one."

"Something happen?" Peyton asked, moving to sit in the chair next to him. When he didn't respond, she guessed. "Does it have something to do with the person who came to see you earlier?"

"Yes," he answered.

"Who was it?"

"Lindsey," he replied, hate apparent in his tone.

"What did she want?" Peyton asked, immediately angry.

"It doesn't matter. We won't ever have to see her again. She's leaving Tree Hill."

"That's good," Peyton thought out loud. "She's lucky I never ran into her."

Lucas laughed. His attention was suddenly grabbed by Mia. She walked into the room with a smile on her face.

"Hello, Mia," Peyton greeted. "It seems Lucas and I owe you a huge thank you. You've helped us stay together. You've helped keep our secret."

"It's nothing, Peyton. I'll always be there for you," Mia told her, slightly blushing from such high praise. "Lucas, Larry has requested you in his office."

"Oh. Alright," Lucas said, arising from his chair. "Thank you, Mia. Goodbye, Peyton."

Lucas walked away from them and towards the library. He was surprised to hear that Larry requested him in the library. He cautiously walked in, spotting Larry at his desk.

"Hello, Lucas. Take a seat," Larry insisted. "I'm sure you're wondering what this is all about."

"Yes I am, Sir," Lucas agreed.

"Well, I need your help with something."

"Sure, anything. What is it?"

"I need your help breaking Brooke and Nathan up," Larry told him.

"Excuse me?" Lucas asked, not sure if he heard him right.

"I need Nathan and Brooke to separate. Nathan and Peyton need to be together," Larry told him.

"Sir, I'm not alright with doing this."

"Lucas, you've got to help me out. You're the only one who can," Larry told him. "You are the only person she'll listen to besides Brooke."

"Why is it so important to you that Peyton marry Nathan?" Lucas asked.

"I can't tell you. I just... I just really need you to help me. Please," Larry begged.

"I'm sorry, Sir. I am not going to break apart a happy couple for reasons you chose not to share with me. Peyton does not feel that way about Nathan, and she never will. Why don't you just let it go? Why don't you just let her be happy?"

"Nathan will make Peyton happy!" Larry exclaimed, slamming a fist onto the brown wood of his desk. Anger was written all over his face, and Lucas began to stand up. "Lucas, You have known her almost three months! I've known my daughter for almost eighteen years now, and I know what will make her happy. She just needs to give Nathan a chance. She needs to love him."

"Sir," Lucas said, trying to calm Larry. "Please don't take this the wrong way, but Peyton is a grown woman. She should be aloud to marry whoever she wants. I know the father is supposed to chose who the daughter marries, but that doesn't have to be the case. Brooke's father is letting Brooke decide. Brooke chose Nathan. You're just going to have to let it go."

"I can't. I can't do it," Larry whispered. His eyes were watering and the tears threatened to run down his face. "I have to keep my promise."

"Promise? What promise?" Lucas questioned. "Tell me. Who did you promise? What did you promise?"

"Lucas, I think it's best that you leave. I won't bring this task up again to you," Larry promised, straightening himself out. "I'll figure something else out."

"Sir-"

"I said goodbye, Lucas," Larry repeated.

Lucas nodded his head. "Goodbye, Sir."

* * *

Later that night, Lucas was requested downstairs again. He found it odd that he was due to the fact that it was almost completely dark outside. As he walked down the stairs, he saw that it was Larry. Larry wasn't alone though. By his side was Lindsey. She was smiling wide at Larry, saying something that made him laugh. Lucas glared at her. He looked up, hearing his name called. Peyton was standing at the top of the stairs, obviously angry. Lucas gave her a look that said to stay in her room. He walked the rest of the way down and met them at the bottom.

"Lucas, you have a wonderful woman! How come I've never heard you talk about her?" Larry asked, placing a hand on Lucas's back.

"Sir, she is not my-"

"It's OK for me to know, Lucas. I may be your boss, but I'm also your friend," Larry stated.

"We are just friends," Lindsey said. "I just have something private to discuss with Lucas."

"Oh. I see. I'm so sorry about that," Larry apologized. "I'll leave you two alone."

"Thank you," Lindsey smiled.

"What do you want, Lindsey?" Lucas asked once Larry had left. "You told me that once I gave you the money, I would never have to see you again!"

"Well, it turns out that I need more money than what you gave me."

"What?!" Lucas exclaimed. "I gave you $1,000! How could that not have been enough?!"

"Shh! Keep your voice down!" Lindsey whispered. "Do you want everyone in here to know what's going on?"

"Just... I... How much more do you need?" he murmured.

"I need another $1,000."

"Are you kidding me?!" Lucas yelled.

"Lucas!" Lindsey scolded. "Be quiet!"

"Lindsey, I'm not going to give you another $1,000. It's just not gonna happen."

"Well, if you don't give me the money, I'll tell everyone who you are," she threatened.

He blew out a breath, knowing he had no other choice. "Fine. I'll give you the money." Lucas wrote the check and handed it to her.

"Thank you." She was about to walk away, but reached out and grazed his face. "It's such a shame that you don't have a woman. I mean, you are just so good looking."

"Actually, I do have a woman," Lucas said, grabbing her wrist and stopping her movements. "A woman that I love very much."

"What?" Peyton asked from the place she was listening on the stairs. She began to walk towards him. "You love me?"

"Yes, Peyton. Of course I love you," Lucas told her, his mood instantaneously changed into happy. "I've wanted to tell you for a while now. I wish you hadn't have heard it this way. I wanted it to be more special. I'm sor-"

"I love you too," she said, cutting him off. "I don't need it to be special. I just need to know that you do."

"Isn't that the girl Larry hired you to watch?" Lindsey questioned, ruining the moment. Lucas stayed quiet. "Wow. Nice job, Luke."

Peyton was about to talk, but Lucas silenced her with a look. "Just ignore her, Peyton." He looked at Lindsey, his stare cold. "I believe you've gotten what you've came here for. It's time for you to leave."

"Oh, I'm leaving. Jake and I are going to have a nice life together. We are going to have the kind of life I've always wanted, and you could never give to me." Lindsey looked at Peyton. "Have fun with my leftovers," she laughed.

"I am so sorry about that, Peyton," Lucas apologized once Lindsey had left.

"Lucas, what was she talking about?"

"What do you mean?"

"She said that if you didn't give her the money, then she would tell everyone 'who you are'," Peyton recalled. "What did she mean?"

"Peyton-"

"Don't lie to me either, Lucas. You gave her $2,000 like it was nothing. My father told me that you didn't come from a rich family, so how do you have so much money?"

"OK. You deserve to know the truth," Lucas agreed. "Peyton, there's something that I've been hiding. Once you know it, you will look at me different."

"It's alright, Lucas. You don't have to worry about that. No matter what it is, I'll still love you," she promised.

He stared at her. "Nathan is my brother," he whispered.

"What?" she asked, unsure as to if she'd heard him correctly.

"Dan had been dating my mother when she found out she was pregnant with me. He was forbidden from being with her because his parents wanted him to marry someone wealthy. He immediately left her and started dating the woman his parents chose, Deb. It wasn't long after they started dating did Dan get Deb pregnant with Nathan. My mom told everyone that the father wasn't in the picture, never revealing Dan's identity. Filled with guilt, Dan confessed everything to Deb and his family. They made him start paying Karen every month to support me. She was making enough money on her own, she would put his money away in an account for me. When I turned eighteen, she told me all about the account and gave me all of the money."

"So, that's where the money came from," Peyton guessed.

"Yes. I met Lindsey shortly after that, and once we were engaged, I revealed my account and background to her. She immediately wanted to spend all of the money on pointless things. I told her she couldn't and that's when I first noticed the distance growing between us. She was upset that I didn't give her access to all of my money. I didn't want anyone to know about my past when I came here. Nathan never told, so I thought I was safe. Next thing I know, Lindsey is at the door, blackmailing me for $2,000."

"Wow. I am so sorry, Luke. You know you could have told me from the beginning," Peyton admitted.

"You would have seen me different. You would have assumed things about me. I wanted you to get to know me without judging me."

"Well, I don't see you any differently, Lucas," Peyton said.

"Thank you, Peyton. I knew from the moment I saw you that you were different," Lucas replied, smiling. "But you can never tell anyone, alright?"

"Lucas, if you tell my father, he would probably let us be together," Peyton thought.

"We'll tell him when the time is right. Something tells me that he still wants you to be with Nathan." Lucas thought back to his and Larry's earlier conversation.

"What? Why would you think that?"

"When he called me into his office today, it was to ask me if I could help him break Nathan and Brooke up," Lucas admitted. "I told him I wasn't going to do it. Then, he started crying and rambling on about a promise he had to keep."

"That is so strange. I wonder what he could be talking about..."

"He wouldn't tell me." Lucas walked Peyton into his room and shut the door. She looked up at him.

"I just have one question. If you had all that money, why did your mom say you couldn't afford tickets to New York?" Peyton asked, remembering the conversation they had had a little while back.

"She knew that it would be too suspicious if she just had that kind of money lying around. She didn't want me to know about the money until I was eighteen. She never told Keith about it either. He was so upset with her when he found out," Lucas whispered, his eyes tearing up. "Once they made up, it seemed like he was instantly taken away from us.

"I'm sorry he passed, Luke. I know how much you loved him," Peyton whispered.

"It's just hard sometimes," Lucas admitted, wrapping his arms around Peyton.

"How did he die?" Peyton asked.

"They say it was suicide, but no one knows for a fact what really happened. I don't think I'll ever be able to let it go."

"Well, I'm always here for you, Lucas. You know that," Peyton reminded.

"I know. I love you, Peyton."

"I love you too."

* * *

**So, they said I love you for the first time in this chapter. I know it wasn't that romantic, but not everything is going to be. I just didn't want to do the whole 'is she going to say it' or 'will he tell me it' thing. I decided to make Lucas reveal his past in this chapter instead of the next one. I wanted to start the next chapter on a whole new day. The next chapter is going to be Peyton's birthday. That's going to be fun... Well, leave a review and let me know what you think. Thank you!**


	9. Chapter 9

"Rise and shine, Darling," Larry said, opening Peyton's curtains.

Peyton blinked through the sunlight, shielding her eyes with her hand. She had slept in her own room that night, knowing her father would wake up extra early to tell her happy birthday. She didn't want to risk not being in her bed when he showed up. Lucas had promised to see her once she was up though.

"Good morning, Father," Peyton replied.

"Happy Birthday, Sweetheart. How does it feel to be a woman? Eighteen is such a huge age!" he exclaimed.

"I don't feel any different," Peyton admitted.

"Right. Well, it's going to take a little while to sink in. I'll let you get ready for the day. Then, you can come downstairs and eat the breakfast I had specially made for you."

"Thank you," Peyton smiled, giving him a hug. "I'll be down in a little bit."

He walked out of her room, shutting the door behind him. She walked over to her bathroom, eyeing the dress she had hanging form the closet door handle. A smile came to her face, remembering the day Brooke helped pick out that dress. She entered her shower, enjoying the feel of the water against her skin. When she stepped out, she quickly dressed, then headed downstairs. Walking into the dining area, she immediately spotted Lucas. He smiled his perfect smile of his, making her want to melt.

"Peyton, you look gorgeous," Brooke yelled, running over to her to give her a hug.

"Brooke, I didn't expect you to be here. You're never up this early," Peyton teased.

"Well, I was going to sleep in, Nathan had me up all night," Brooke whispered. "But, I'd do anything for my best friend."

"Oh, Peyton. You look beautiful," Mia told her, walking into the room.

"You do look amazing, Peyton," Lucas commented, making Peyton blush.

"My daughter always looks fantastic," Larry grinned.

"This is nothing. You should see the dress we've picked out for her to wear for the party tomorrow. You're going to blow a socket," Brooke announced.

"Brooke, I hope you don't mind me asking who you're talking to. Because I sure hope it isn't me," Larry responded. "That's my daughter, and I do not think of her in such ways."

"Of course not, . I was talking to Mia. Mia is always talking about how the sight of Peyton gets her going," Brooke lied, causing Lucas and Peyton to burst with laughter.

"It's the hormones," Mia added, going along with the lie.

"Alright," Larry said, obviously uncomfortable. "That's a little strange Mia, but my wife went through the same stage."

The laughter died, the room becoming silent. Peyton stared at the ground, not wanting to think about such sad things on her birthday.

"I'm sorry," Larry apologized. "I didn't mean to put everyone in a bad mood. Let's all just cheer up now. Peyton, we've made your favorite breakfast."

"Thank you," Peyton said, taking her seat next to Lucas. He smiled at her, grabbing her hand for comfort. "I love french toast."

"Me too," Lucas smiled. "It's my favorite as well."

"Before we dig in," Larry said loudly. "We have a special cake to eat."

Mia walked back into the dining area, holding a white frosted cake. On top, were seventeen candles, brightly lit. She placed the cake in front of Peyton, and everyone began to sing. Peyton blew out the candles, watching Mia serve everyone a slice.

"What did you wish for?" Brooke asked her best friend.

"I can't say, or else it will never come true," Peyton responded.

"So, let's go over the plan for today and tomorrow, shall we?" Larry asked. "Great. For dinner, we'll all meet back here, except Brooke will have brought Nathan. We'll all get a good night's rest, then wake up and get ready for the party. It will be in the ball room. People should start arriving around 7:00 pm. That'll give everyone plenty of time to set up and get things ready. Any presents will be opened tomorrow at the party, so you'll have to wait on opening your gifts, Sweetie. Any questions?"

"Yes," Brooke answered. "What do you have planned for today until dinner?"

"Today, I've arranged for you and Peyton to go to the spa. Everything's completely paid for, so don't worry about bringing your purses."

"What about Lucas?" Peyton asked.

"Don't worry about him either," Larry replied. "I have a special task that will keep him busy."

* * *

"What is this task you have for me?" Lucas asked, sitting down in his usual chair in the library.

"Well, I have just a small question before I tell you," Larry explained. "Remember this has nothing to do with what I'm going to ask you, it's just for me to know."

"Alright," Lucas said.

"OK. I guess I'll just ask away." He gave a nervous laugh. "So, how firm are you standing on not helping me out with breaking up Brooke and Nathan?"

"Pretty firm, Sir," Lucas replied, speaking seriously. "I hope you're not still planning on separating them."

"No, not at all," Larry mumbled. "Now, what were we supposed to be doing here?"

"You said you had a task for me," Lucas reminded.

"Right. Um... I was just going to see if you could help me with the last minute details concerning Peyton's party tomorrow. I just want everything to be perfect for my little girl."

"Of course, Sir. What can I help with?"

"Well, everything is pretty much taken care of. I just need someone to clean out the attic."

"The attic?" Lucas repeated.

"Yes. You see, children will be attending the party tomorrow. We expect the party to go on for quite some time, so the children will get tired. They cannot just fall asleep anywhere, so I'd appreciate it if you could clear it. There will be beds up there for them to rest on, of course. We have spare mattresses we bring out during times like these."

"Why not just use one of the guest rooms?" Lucas asked.

"Those rooms will be locked and completely off limits. I do not want anyone _occupying _themselves in there. Do you understand?"

"Yes. I'll get on it right away," Lucas assured, walking out of the library.

* * *

"So, what did you and my father do today?" Peyton asked.

She was sitting on Lucas's bed, reading a random book form her father's collection. Lucas was sitting at his small table, reading one of his favorite books. He looked up at her, smiling.

"Oh, nothing. I was just telling him about how much I love his beautiful daughter."

"Really?" she asked, playing along.

"Yes," he confirmed. "I could have gone on and on, but he stopped me saying he had heard enough."

"You're funny," she told him, moving to the edge of the bed.

"You think so?" he questioned, closing the book and walking over to her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him for the first time all day. She was not supposed to be with him tonight because he had insisted that they wait until everyone stopped celebrating her birthday, and could walk in at any moment, but she did not listen. He, of course, could never tell her no.

"Peyton," he said, once they pulled apart. "There was something that he said."

"What?" she asked.

"He asked me if I was still unwilling to break Brooke and Nathan up. I said yes and he changed the subject," Lucas explained.

"I cannot believe he is still on this!" Peyton exclaimed. "I'm going to talk to him tomorrow."

"No, Peyton. If you want to talk to him, do it the next day. You don't want to cause a huge scene in front of all those people. You and Nathan are not getting together. I promise. You are staying right here, with me."

"I love you," she said, their lips meeting.

Peyton kissed him, placing a palm on his face. His hands held her against him, their kiss deepening. She opened her mouth, his tongue automatically sliding in. Their tongues wrestled together, their kiss anything but gentle now. She could feel her body temperature rising. She began to suck on his bottom lip, earning a moan from him. He pulled away from her, moving his lips to her neck. He sucked on her weak spot he had found some time ago, the moan now coming from her.

His lips found their way back to hers, kissing her roughly. He broke apart, kissing her neck again. He began to kiss lower. His lips met with the skin on he shoulder, then collarbone, then right above her breasts. He stopped himself, knowing he needed to stop. He was at the part of his day he hated the most. He was surprised to hear her whine, bringing their lips back together.

"Peyton," he scolded. "We need to stop."

"Why?" she questioned.

"Because I fear I won't be able to control myself if we continue."

"It's alright," she assured. "I'm ready."

"Peyton-" he began.

"Really, Lucas. I've been thinking about this for awhile. I really want to do this." Her eyes told him she was serious, but he couldn't bring himself to move. "Lucas, it's alright. Today, I turned eighteen. There's nothing I'd rather do more. This is what I wished for."

"Really?" he questioned, still feeling doubtful.

She nodded her head and moved back in to kiss him. She pulled away, upset that he hadn't kissed her back. She saw that his eyes were closed and he was breathing heavily. He looked as though he was trying to control himself. She watched his eyes slowly open, filled to core with lust. Before she could say or do anything, he had her pinned to the bed. He showered her neck with sloppy kisses, causing her to writhe underneath him. His hands traveled up her body, and for the first time, he felt her breasts.

Sure he had felt them before, but he had never _felt_ them. His hand would rapidly brush across one, but it was nowhere near to how his hands were now. He cupped them, filling his hands completely. She took that moment to run her hand across him through his pants.

"Oh, God. Peyton, I need you. All those nights-"

"I know," Peyton interrupted. "I need you too."

* * *

**I know I made that scene short, but I have a longer love scene planned for the next chapter. Sorry about the long wait on updating. Hopefully, I can start updating sooner. Shout out to my friend, Davina. She encouraged me to get this chapter done. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and please review. **


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